Invisible lacing.



PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

A. R. COLTON.

INVISIBLE LAOING.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 12, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

' UNIT D STATES Patented October 25,1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

INVISIBLE LACING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,926, dated October 25,1904- Application file November 12, 1908. Serial No. 180,945. (No model.) i

a part of this specification, and to the letters.

of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in garment-fasteners such as employ a lacingcord, and particularly to that class wherein the lacing-cord passes in between double flies or flaps of the garment, so as to be invisible when the edges of the garment are drawn together and so as to be itself protected and so as to protect the over and under lying garments.

The invention has for its object the pro:

duction'of a structure applicable to corsets, skirt-plackets, leggings,shocs,&c. and wherein the lacing or cord for drawing the edges of the garment together shall be so guided that it will lie within the thickness of the edge of the garment, and hence will not pass either on the inner or outer sides of the garment at any pointin proximity to the edge, thereby preventing the formation of ridges to discommode the wearer or chafe the over or under lying garments.

The invention also has for its object to provide a structure having great flexibility inwhich the lacing studs may be properly spaced, held, and protected without the neces sity of being secured to two stiifeners or'reinforces, as has heretofore been thought necessary in this class of fasteners. The invention consists, primarily, in conducting the ends of the lacing-cord into and through the edges of the garment and within the thickness thereof to a point remote from' such edge, the said lacing-cord being thence conducted to the outside of the garment to provide for the tightening of the lacing and the securing of the ends of the cord.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims- V I Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the two lacing edges of a garment with portions broken away to show the construction. Fig. Q'is a cross-section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a crossseetion on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The garment selected for illustrating the invention is a corset; but the invention is equally applicable to other garments, such as skirts, leggings, shoes, &c.

The letter A in the drawings indicates the two parts. of the garment which are to be brought together and held by the lacing-cord B. Each of the edges of the garment is formed into superposed flaps, preferably of a particular construction, to be presently described, and adapted to hold between them a series of smooth eyelets or studs 0, around which the lacing is threaded back and forth, so as to travel freely within the thickness of the edge.

The ends of the lacing which are to be secured for holding the parts in adjusted position have heretofore been brought out from between the flaps or folds of the edges and tied together or passed to one side or the other of the opposite garment edge and in some instances from the inner side of the garment to the outer side through suitable eyelets. -In each instance, however, the end portions of the lacing prevented the edges of the garment from being brought tightly together or formed ridges over the already-thickened edge, with a resultant inconvenience to the wearer and injury to the adjacent garments. In carrying out the present invention, however, the end portions of the lacing are carried in between the twofiaps' or edge folds and thence out through guideways or eyelets passing only from the inside of the outer flap or fold to the outside of the garment, from which point the lacing may extend around the body of the wearer or be secured in any suitable manner.

As shown in the drawings, the lacing may be passed out through simple openings D left or formed in the flap of the garment at a point remote from the edge,- or eyelets E may be inserted for the passage of the lacing, such eyelets being inserted in the outer flap or fold only of the edge and in such manner that the ends of the lacing-cord may be passed into the pocket between the flaps and out through the eyelets.

In forming the edge flaps and with a view to reducing the cost and facilitating the manufacture, as well as to provide thin and flexible edges, the studs or eyelets C, around which the lacing-cord is passed, are fixed to the stiffener in but one of the flaps, while the stifiener in the other flap simply overlies the opposite ends of the studs or eyelets and is retained by the fabric forming such flap.

As shown in the drawings, the studs or eyelets C are secured to the stiffener G and inner wall of the inner flap, the opposite end of the eyelets being passed through and secured only in the inner wall H of the outer flap. The fabric is doubled back over the eyelets to form the edge flaps and pockets for the stiffeners.

The stiifeners I may be simply slipped into the pocket formed by the outer flap, so as to overlie ends of the eyelets; but at the same time the structure is left perfectly flexible to conform perfectly to the body-lines of the wearer.

Obviously the ends of the lacing may be located at a central point, as shown, or at top or bottom of the garment, as found desirable, Without departing from the invention, the location of the guides for the cord ends depending upon the preferred method of lacing the edges together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a structure such as described, the fabric formed into two edge flaps for the admission of the lacing-cord between them, a lacing-cord, studs secured between the flaps and around which the lacing-cord is passed, and said fabric being provided with openings for the passage of the end portions of the lacingcord extending from points between the flaps to the outside of the garment at points remote from the edges of the garment; substantially as described.

2. In a structure such as described the fabric formed into two edge flaps for the admission of the lacing-cord between them, studs secured between the flaps, guides for the passage of the end portions of the lacing-cord located in the outer flap, and a lacing-cord passing around the studs and having its end portions passing in between the flaps and out through said guides at points removed from the edges of the garment; substantially as described.

3. In a structure such as described the fabbric formed into two edge flaps for the admission of the lacing-cord between them a stiffener in one of said flaps, studs secured at one end in said stiffener and a stiliener in the opposite flap overlying but not connected with the opposite ends of said studs; substantially as described.

4. In a structure such as described the fabric formed intotwo edge flaps for the admission of the lacing-cord between them, a stillener in one of said flaps, studs secured atone. end in said stiffener and at the opposite end in the inner wall of the opposite flap, and a stiffener in said last-mentioned flap overlying but free from the ends of the studs; substantially as described.

ALBERT R. COLTON.

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER S. STEUAR'I, THOMAS DURANT. 

